Dead To Me
by DrtyDiva
Summary: Sookie, Barry and Hunter aren't the only telepaths in the world. Nor are they the strongest. What happens when Ember walks into the supernatural world with her powerful ability?
1. Discovered

*This is the canon right up to vamp shake up in From Dead To Worse*

I was sitting in the dressing room after my first set. I hated that I had gone up first. None of the real money men were in the club, yet. But I was being punished for mouthing off yesterday about my percentage. "This is going to me a long night," I muttered as I looked at myself in the mirror. I was covered from head to toe in blue body glitter and an electric blue thong. The life of a stripper was so fascinating I know. I pulled out my copy of the Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe. I was thinking about taking a class at ULV and I didn't want to go in there looking stupid. Some of the other girls rolled their eyes at my but I didn't give a damn. It wasn't my fault all they wanted to be was a stripper. Yeah it was good money, but I could do more than give a man an erection.

"Ember you're up." Cary walked as she walked back into the dressing room covered in sweat. If there was one girl that worked hard for the money it was Cary. I slipped my book back into my bag before standing up to change into my next outfit.

The club had filled up since the last time I had been on stage and the thought of making money was the only thing that got my in the mood to get back up on that stage and shake what I assumed my mother had given me. The lights dimmed and I could hear the cocks straining against their pants in anticipation of what was going to happen. I moved the chair out into the middle of the stage and lead back with my head thrown over the back of the chair. The opening chords to Flashdance started and the boys went crazy. I never understood what they found so sexy about this, but I was willing to give the people what they wanted. Is tarted my routine and the money started falling on the stage.

I made eye contact with everyone man in the room. Letting him know I was undressing him in my mind. I danced around the chair as I removed my top. I wasn't wearing a bra and when my breasts sprang free from my shirt the crowd gasped. Larger denominations fell to the stage. That was more like it. The level of lust in the room was at a fever pitch. It was getting harder for me yo block it out and I could feel myself heating up. I sat back down in the chair and leaned back. I could hear the buzz of hunger in the room. A chain dangled down from the ceiling. A few of them men rushed the stage as I pulled. A gallon of water cascaded down on my me splashing the men in the front row. They went wild.

Sopping wet and feeling sexy as hell I stood up from the chair to finish my routine.

I felt it when he walked in. He felt different. My head swiveled around the room to find him. It took me a minute to realize what I was feeling. I could feel another telepath in the room.

I had never felt it before and it distracted me long enough that I missed a beat and almost fell off the stage, but luckily popping off my sequined g-string drew the audience back to me.

I felt giddy at the thought. I always assumed I was the only one in the world who could do what I did._ "Hello,"_ I thought. He was sitting in one of the back booths. A slightly pale white guy with dark hair. His head jerked up at my greeting and he started to scan everyone in the room looking for me. I tried to keep my mind on finishing my dance but it was all I could do to keep a stupid grin off my face.

"_Hi,"_ He responded tentatively. It almost made me miss the pole entirely. But I've had practice at keep my face smooth when I heard something. I had eyes only for him after that. I didn't care about anyone else. This was the best thing that have ever happened to me. Not that that was saying something. My life hadn't been a fairy tale up until now, but still this was a great thing. I finished my routine. Some of the patrons were throwing the dark haired boy evil looks as I nearly launched myself off the stage toward him. Tina gathered up all of my tips and thrust them at me. I grabbed my clothes and quickly dressed as I tucked the money into my shirt. Well there were a few twenties and a hundred dollar bill. That brightened my mood considerably. A stripper really had to work hard for the money, and it was always nice when our hard work was rewarded. The boy was still looking at me as I picked my way off stage to fix myself up before I went out on the floor. I would have to pay a fine if I didn't.

I dabbed at the sweat on my stomach and shoulders and checked my reflection in the mirror that I passed. My coco brown skin was glistening and glittery. I had a thing for body glitter, so sue me. My tiny tummy flared out to small hips, but at least I had a good set of breasts. I didn't have a big butt for a black girl, something my friends loved to tease me about, but the men at the strip club loved what butt I did have.

I shook myself out of my own thoughts and retouched my make up. Which was just more lipgloss and glitter. Men seemed to like when my big lips looked wet. It played into their fantasies about black women.

As slowly as I could I walked back out onto the floor. I looked like I was looking for a champagne room client but I was looking for that little tousle of brown hair. I spotted him off in a corner and I made a beeline for him.

My progress was stopped by someone catching my hand and almost pulling me off my feet, "How bout a dancer sugar?" A fat tub of a man drawled. I yanked my hand back and glared at him. I know I was messing with my money but I had to get to that man before he left. Diamond had stopped in front of him and was trying to entice him to a private dance. She smiled at something he said and then started to dance. He looked at me as I tried to get out of the private dance fatty was asking for. He returned his attention back to Diamond who was shaking what her mother gave her. She certainly had the body for it, even after 2 kids.

I stopped and took a deep breath and made myself feel sexy. I didn't want anyone to think I was up to something. I smiled at fatty as he settled in for a lap dance. I danced slowly over to him, rolling my hips and making sure he saw my breasts bouncing. I had his attention, men were too easy. It wasn't a long dance, he had only given me a twenty. I didn't get out of bed for anything less than a fifty but my mind wasn't on my work right now. I had to get over to that guy before he left.

I finished the dance and skipped away before anyone else stopped me. Diamond was done with the brown haired boy and he was smiling. Guess he got his money's worth too. I smiled and walked up to him. _"I could feel you,"_ I thought. The light behind his eyes lit up and I sat in his lap so that I wouldn't draw KP's attention for talking to a customer who wasn't spending money.

"_You could feel me?"_ he asked as he trembled. I settled in his lap facing him. I didn't want anyone ease dropping. Though we weren't talking. I could feel the lust rolling around in his head. It was like a snaking red cloud coloring his thoughts and I had to pull back from his mind as it was starting to color my thoughts. He was setting my body on fire and this was not the place for me to be getting all hot and bothered. I stood up from his lap and nodded my head in answer to his question. He was visibly aroused, but this was a strip club. No one was going to care.

"I get off at 5am. Meet me at the Denny's on the corner down the street?" I asked softly. Janet had just walked over to the guy sitting at the next table. I couldn't afford to say anything else. "Name's Ember." I told him. My work name was Alize, I didn't pick it believe me.

He stood up. "Barry," and he nodded at my offer. I gave him a small smile as I watched him walk out of the club. My heart was beating fast as I watched him. I had never met another person who could do what I did. Who was a telepath and a strong one at that. It hadn't taken him that long to figure out it was me who spoke to him. I practically skipped back into the dressing room with a silly grin on my face.

The rest of the night I was on autopilot. I knew I was working because dollar bills kept ending up in my panties, but I couldn't tell you what I had done or who I had danced for. I was thinking about meeting Barry and meeting someone who was like me. It was exciting and I found I couldn't think of anything else.

I dropped into my chair at 4:30 am. I was dog tired not knowing what I had done to be so tired. I couldn't remember any of the dances I had done. We were having our closing meeting. 30 minutes until I had to meet Barry.

KP, the club owner, was talking but I swear for the life of my I wasn't listening. "And the top earner was Ember." I heard that and my head snapped around to look at him. How the hell was I the top earner and I wasn't paying attention to anything that was going on around me.

Damn I must have been working it for all it was worth to been the top earner. I heard a few claps and some other choice words. I didn't care. This was just a job and none of those people were friends. I got up and accepted my little prize for the night. It was a gift certificate to some spa in the Lexor and I did smile at that.

We broke up after that and I hurried out to my car, well as fast as I could move with my little rolling bag behind me. I used to keep my stuff at the club, but some of those women had sticky fingers and I was tired of having to replace my things. So now I just packed it up and took it home. I put my bag in the trunk and jumped into my yellow charger and almost peeled out of the parking lot.

"Calm down girl," I told myself. The last thing I needed was another ticket. I got tired of having to "work" my way out of them and I sure as hell was tired of paying them off if I ran into a 'by the book' cop. Or a woman cop.

I pulled into the Denny's and tried to make myself look less like a stripper, but it was hard. I was covered in glitter and I had on some stripper heels, but hey I was only 4 foot 8 I had to get my height were I could find it. The guy at the hostess stand tried to ignore my boobs popping out of my tank top and I could feel the mental rein he was trying to thrown around his libido and I smiled at him. "I see my friend," I told him. He looked relieved that my cleavage was out of his line of sight and I had to smirk as I slid into the booth where Barry was sitting.

He was wearing dark trousers and a dark green sweater. He looked like a tall high school kid, but I could tell he was in his mid twenties. He was the palest thing I had seen in a long time. Well the palest thing that wasn't a vamp. I could tell by his brain pattern that he wasn't a vamp. They felt different.

We looked at each other for a long time. He seemed to not want to speak first. So I did. "So its true?" I asked him my smile almost making my face hurt but I couldn't help it. I had my guard up and I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I really liked staying out of people's heads. It was one thing to think you wanted to hear what other people were saying it was another thing entirely to actually hear every thought that fluttered through someone'e head.

I was respecting his privacy, but I sure as hell felt him trying to poke around in my head. That made me frown. That was just bad manners and maybe he didn't know what I cold feel him poking around in my head.

Now that just wouldn't do. I found the source of the tickle and I clamped down on it, hard. Barry jerked back and his face started to redden. "You stop that." He nodded weakly and I let up on him.

He looked at me after his face had returned to its normal color. Though he was now paler than he was five minutes ago.I felt bad about doing that. But just because he could read my mind gave him no right to do so. "How did you learn how to do that?" he asked me weakly.

I shrugged, "I had a very demanding task master when I was little. He taught me a few things" I said softly. My younger life was not the stuff of smiles and trips to Disney World. I had been kidnapped from my parents while on vacation and sold to an American businessman as his personal sex slave and whipping post. That was another life and one I was not going to relive. I wasn't going to tell him that.

Barry nodded in understanding. His dark brown eyes looked at me. Not just at my breasts or the curve of my neck. He was looking me full in the face. It didn't take a mind reader to see that he was pleased with what he was looking at. I blushed and dropped my gaze. What the hell? Me, Ember, blushing.

Once I was sure he wasn't still staring at me I looked up. He was looking over the menu. I wasn't hungry. Denny's made me sick. "You're stronger than me and Sookie," he finally admitted as the waitress skipped over to take his order. She seemed a bit taken by Barry. A spurt of jealousy coursed through me. I glared at her and gave her enough attitude to hurry off to fulfill his order and bring out our drinks.

My mouth hung open, "There are more of us?" I asked him. "More telepaths?" I had learned that word a few years ago and it felt weird to finally say it out loud and in front of another person. I had only ever said it in my head and now it was out loud. It was real. I was real and he was real. Sitting right in front of me.

We were quiet for awhile. It was nice. Sometimes I just liked to sit in silence and it was nice that he didn't feel the need to fill the silence in idle chitchat. I reached out for him mentally. I was afraid he would rebuff me for my earlier mental spanking. The eagerness of his response made me smile. We didn't communicate in words. It was more like flashes of colors and emotions. It was funny his were in pastels and light colors. I had never seen that in a man. I didn't know what he was seeing in me. I couldn't read my own mind.

The waitress bring his food out broke out mental tango. His forehead was covered in a sheen of sweat. I must have pushed him too far. He wasn't used to communicated like that for long periods of time.

He finally nodded at my question and he dug into his pancakes. "Just me and Sookie that I know of." He was eating like a man who hadn't seen food in a few weeks. Or maybe it was our mental workout. I opened my mouth to ask another question but his ring tone cut me off. He flipped open his phone and read the text message, nodded and erased the message. "I have to go. My boss wants me." He slid out of the booth and stood up to wait for me. I made a face about not being able to finish talking to him. This was the first time I had ever met another telepath let alone talked to one, but I brightened up when he slapped a few bills down for our check. Why use my money when I could use someone else's?

We both walked out of Denny's me a tad hungry and Barry in an hurry. I wanted to talk to him more. "Can you meet for lunch or something?" I asked him. I didn't want to seem like I was whining, but the thought of him walking out of my life and me never seeing him again made my heart squeeze.

He shook his head, "I keep vamp hours," I nodded. "My boss is a vamp, from Texas" he said answering my unspoken question. I had never met a vamp before and I hated to admit I was curious.

I sure as hell didn't want to be called a fangbanger by going to one of those bars to meet a vampire. Some of those girls never returned. We all knew what happened to them and I didn't survive my childhood to end up on the back of a milk carton. Besides fangbangers were trash, and that's all I needed to add on top of being a stripper was being called a fangbanger.

"What are you doing in Las Vegas then?" I asked him. Not that I didn't dance for tourists all the time.

Barry looked around as if he was checking to make sure we were alone, "Somethings are happening and my boss wants to be ahead of the curve. You know the other telepath Sookie works for the Louisiana vamps." He told me. I could see her face clearly in his mind. I was a bit more subtle than he was. He didn't even know I was peeking.

He said that like I was supposed to be picking up on something. "Yeah so?" I asked crossing my thin and goose pimpled arms across my chest. He looked down and shuffled his feet. I took a chance to dip back into his head. "You think I could work for them and stop stripping?" I asked with a hint of a smile on my lips. He was thinking about my honor. That was sweet for someone I had just met.

He finally lifted his eyes to my face. "Why can't I feel when you're in my head?" he asked me.

I smiled and winked at him, "I got skills." I told him. Before I could say anything he leaned down and kissed him. His lips were soft and hesitant at first. I let loose a little squeak and he pulled back.

"I'm sorry." He said quickly stepped back looking like I was going to shoot him in the face. I didn't know what to say. Kissing was new to me. Hell I think this was my first kiss, but it was so sweet. I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed him back. He was just as surprise at my kiss as I had been at his. His arms slipped around my gently and I stepped in close to his body. The red color of his lust made me shiver. I don't know how long we stayed lip locked like that. It felt like a a second but when we broke apart we were both panting.

We looked at each other. We didn't need to speak. I was letting him in and he was letting me in. I reached for him and his phone beeped again. "I better go." He said, though he didn't make any move to go.

He walked me back to my car. I climbed in. He leaned down as I rolled my window down. "Give me your phone." He slid his iPhone over to me and I quickly tapped in my number. He put his number into my phone. "Please call me Barry." I told him. He nodded and I drove out of the parking lot.

It was a pleasant drive home as I sang along with some Travis Porter song on the radio. I knew the words but I didn't know the song. A few of the girls danced do it so you would think I knew the name of it, but I just didn't. I shrugged in the car and then giggled. I was happy for the first time in a long time. I had met another telepath and he liked me. He kissed me. My lips were still tingling from his kiss. He seemed ot be as inexperience at kissing as I was. Which was another reason to smile.

The glitz and lights of Vegas started to fad away as I left the city. I hated apartment living, well I hated the aspect of not having real privacy. You tended to get that way when your master/kidnapper kept you chained to the foot of his bed naked and shivering on the floor for his sick pleasure.

So when I moved to Las Vegas I bought a house in Henderson. It was a neat little three bedroom house on about an acre of land. The realtor thought I was joking when I told her I could pay cash for the place. Well I put that little snip of a woman right in her place. No one told me what I could and could not do. Not anymore.

When me and the businessman parted ways, I took his bank account with me. Well one of them. You couldn't live in Japan without picking up some computer savvy. Good thing he had several accounts and didn't miss the one I nicked. Calling him a businessman was stretching the truth. I never found out what he did, but I knew he had money. I wore a diamond studded dog collar after all, and ant time he actually took my out of the house I was wearing the best clothes. I couldn't believe I was thinking of him and Barry all in the same thought. It made my stomach roll.

My neighborhood was quiet. All the regular people were tucked into the beds getting their eight hours of sleep to prepare for their day jobs. Here I was pulling home at six in the morning. I was already keeping vampire hours.

I pulled into my driveway and hit the garage door opener and slid into my garage. I got out of the car, leaving my bag in the trunk. I had the next night off and I would just get up in the morning and pull everything out and see what needed to be washed. I just wasn't in the mood to do laundry right now. I could feel a fantasy brewing in my head.

Prada was waiting for me in the kitchen by her empty bowls when I flipped on the kitchen lights as I walked into my darkened house. She gave me a happy little bark and a knelt down to scratch behind her ears just how she liked. "Guess what mommy did today." I said. She gave another happy yelp and ran threw my legs as I went about refilling her water bowl and opening a tin of Cesar for her.

I set them both down and she went about the business of eating. "I met another telepath. He came to the club tonight." She looked up at me with a bit of food on the tip of her nose and bemused look on her face. For a French bulldog she was very expressive dog. Or maybe I was projecting onto her. She was a dog after all. I sat down on the floor beside her. I was off telling her all about Barry and our conversation as she ate. She curled up in my lap as I told her about the kiss. I rubbed her ear as I described how soft his lips were and that he tasted like spearmint.

We sat there on the floor recounting our days to each other. Sometimes I got flashes from Prada's mind that made me think she was more than just a dog. That's why I talked to her the way I did. Maybe it made her feel like she normally was and not like the lovable bulldog. I kissed her head and then went to take a shower.

My shower took longer than normal. The hot water and stem did not help the fantasy I started having about Barry in the car. The ghost of his kiss almost sent me over the edge of a orgasm. I hadn't had one in years. But I didn't do anything but fantasize about him.

I was sitting at my vanity and putting cocoa butter all over myself when I finally focused on what I was doing. It kept my skin tight and it gave it a glow that white men drooled over when they watched me strip. It was nearly 7 am by the time I turned the TV on and slid into the covers of my queen sized bed.

Yes, it was ridiculous for a tiny thing like me to be in such a massive bed, but when you grow up having to share a bed with a 400lbs man 3 times your age in a tiny bed built for a small Japanese couple you will go above and beyond the normal sized bed too. I liked having my space.

Watching the cat fighting on the Real Housewives of New Jersey helped me sleep and I didn't realize I had fallen asleep till my door bell pulled me from my sleep state.

I groaned and rolled over to look at the clock. It was blinking noon. I cursed whoever it was at the door and I snatched my room off the foot of the bed and jumped down to open the door. Prada was fast asleep in her bed and wasn't budging.

I opened the door, "Can I help you?" I asked putting in enough attitude so the little man would know I was pissed at being woke up. He was staring at my chest and thinking very lewd things about me. But I was used to that.

He pulled a thick envelop from his trench coat, who the hell wore that in Las Vegas. The sun was already warming up my bare legs. My robe barely covered my burning bush. "This is an invitation from Felipe de Castro. He requests your presence tonight at the Palms Casino." He told him formally. I looked at him as I took the envelop. "The dress is formal," he said pointedly as he took in my bathrobe and slippers. Screw him. I know how to act in public thank you very much. He took his leave once I got the message. I watched him get back into his Town Car and drive off.

I turned the invitation over in my hand before I out a letter opener and tore into it.

_My Dearest Ember,_

_I request the pleasure of your company this evening at the Palms Casino. News of your ability have reached my ears and I would be delighted to meet you._

_Felipe de Castro_

_Vampire King Of Nevada, Arkansas and Louisiana _

My heart started pounding in my chest. I had to grab ahold of the door jam to steady myself. How did he know about me? How the hell did he know where I lived and why the hell did he want to meet me? I closed the door and walked back into the house. If I asked myself another question I was going to go dizzy from it all.

I sat down on my couch and thought of all the reasons not to go meet this vampire. I could die. Someone vampire could sink his teeth into my soft skin and suck out my life force. They could turn me into a V junkie. I had heard of some vampires doing that to humans. I shuddered at the thought. "Well its not like my life has been a walk in the park up til now," I said out loud.

Prada padded into the living room looking as prim as a English princess. She jumped up on the couch to look at me. "Well mommy's going to meet a vampire tonight," I told her with a tight smile on my face.


	2. Career Change

Was it weird that I was debating what to wear to meet a vampire?

Well Prada thought so as she paced around my walk in closet as I looked for something to wear. She was playing the part of hummingbird perfectly as she couldn't sit still for more than a nanosecond. I know she was scared that I wasn't going to make it back home and it made me smile.

But, I'm a big enough girl to admit that I was nervous to be meeting a vampire for the first time. They had never come into the club that I had seen, but I only worked a few nights a week so they could have come into the club on one of my days off. Some of the girls moonlighted at clubs that had vampire patrons, but I just wasn't that brave. I had been through hell as a child I didn't want to make my adult life hell. Well adult-ish. I had been masquerading as an legal adult I had almost fooled myself into thinking I was.

I don't care what the vampire propaganda machine is trying to tell about how harmless they were. I didn't believe it, now granted I had read Dracula, but still they were killers. No sense in being dumb enough to forget that. Caution cost nothing after all.

I was getting frustrated at myself so I just walked out of my room with Prada in tow. I had hours till I was supposed to be at the Palms so I could distract myself with some housework or something.

I puttered around the house the rest of the day. Didn't really have anything pressing to do. I just wanted to be busy and not thinking about what I was going to do later on tonight. I did my laundry, and cleaned up the kitchen. Got on my laptop and paid a few stray bills. I didn't have a mortgage or a car payment since I paid cash for those, but my electricity bill was due two days ago. Thank God they hadn't turned it off like the they did last month. Its a little unnerving to walk into a dark house and the lights didn't work.

I walked back into the living room with nothing left to do but sit and wait for the sun to go down. I watched the CSI marathon and not for the first time wished I could have gone to college. It wasn't that I wasn't smart...I shook myself before I went to that dark place again.

That never led to anything good. After a guilt ridden bowl of ice cream with carmel sauce I was left with a few more hours to kill.

After a while I just climbed back into bed and took a nap. Thank goodness I didn't have any Dracula dreams. I wouldn't have been able to talk myself into meeting the Vampire King. Who the hell still had kings anyways?

I woke up with enough time to get myself decked out and ready for this little vamp meeting.

I jumped in the shower and scrubbed myself from head to toe. I needed to do a spring cleaning shower. Which always left me feeling totally like a girl and a buffed penny. I made sure there weren't any stray hairs anywhere. No one wanted to watch a hairy stripper. Well there were some clubs with "regular" women who stripped, but they didn't make nearly the amount of money we did. A man could see his girlfriend strip for him anytime.

He paid me to be a fantasy.

_I am Sasha Fierce_ was blaring through my speakers as I got ready to go meet the vampire king. Nothing like a little Beyonce to put you in the sexy girl power mood. I had a little giggle as I thought about it. Girl power wasn't going to mean a hill of beans in this invite was for me to be a main course for the evening.

I looked at the dress I laid out, if you couldn't tell already I loved Prada. It was my favorite clothing line and their clothes fit me better than anything else. And there was nothing like having something expensive against your skin when you felt like silk.

The dress was a tiny little strapless number that flirted with the tops of my knees. It hugged my body enough to make me look sexy without trying, but it wasn't vulgar like I was a whore begging to get gang raped.

I figured formal meant formal without the slut look.

I slipped into a matching black strapless bra and lacy panty set. I didn't really need to wear a bra, but Victoria Secret knew what they were doing when they made that WonderBra. I slid into the dress and my boobs were on display, but I just couldn't help that. The dress wasn't made for a girl bigger than a small C and I was a tight and ample C cup.

I had to sit down on my footstool to put on my highest heels. I was almost 5 foot 1 in these shoes. Sometimes being small was such a hassle, I thought as I had to pull on my bedroom doorknob to pull myself up to stand. Those shoes were definitely not made for walking.

I shook my hair out of the tight French braid I slept it to give it that tousled wild look, but it looked deliberate. I dabbed on some lipgloss, stuck the invitation into my purse, blew Prada a kiss and jumped into my car and drove over to the Palms Casino. It was a hot night as always and let down the top on my Mini Cooper. I only drove my Charger to work. I sang along with whatever was playing on the radio. I was nervous and I sing when I get nervous, don't know why.

As I got closer to Las Vegas the lights got brighter and brighter. Whoever called Paris the City of Lights had never been to Vegas. No city shone like Vegas did at night. I would bet the house on it.

I loved it. Though living in Vegas you get tempted to dump a paycheck on the craps table or gamble away your house payment. That's why I always made it a point to stay out of casinos. I worked hard for my mom and I already had to give KP 20% of my tips and that was enough. Some of the girls in the club had markers all over town and they had to do some things to get out of those markers that made my hair curl. I didn't like owing anyone. You never knew when they would come to collect.

The traffic on the strip was as always heavy, and the tourist were in full force. They seemed to think that when they came to Vegas they got to act like total idiots and not wear enough clothes to cover their burning bushes. It would have been comical if not utterly pathetic. Every so often a camera would flash and I had to work hard to keep my attention on the road.

I sped on and soon the gleam of The Palms came into view. It was a beehive of activity and the valets were working overtime trying to get everyone out of their car and out of the way in a timely manner. It was barely a full minute before it was my turn to pull up and hand over my keys.

My door was opened. "Hey sugar," Marshall smiled as he helped pull me out of the car. The heels were made for looking good. Not getting in and out of cars. He chuckled as I teetered a bit. He had to help me to stand upright.

I smiled at him, "I didn't know you were working here." He nodded. I smiled at him. It was good he had a steady job and quick flip through his head proved that he wasn't gambling anymore. That was a good thing. He had a son to take care of. I didn't have many friends and it was nice for someone to just like me because I was me. I had met Marshall my first night in Vegas, and we had been friends ever since. Though I didn't see him as much and I was glad to know that it was because he was working and taking care of his son. Well he didn't know about my little quirk. No one liked to know that their private thoughts weren't private anymore.

"Who you here to see? I know you don't gamble." He took my keys, and handed me a numbered slip. I tucked it into my bra and I noticed that he watched me do that. It was ok. What was the occasional ogle between friends?

"This vamp named Felipe de Castro." I answered quickly. All the color drained from his beautiful face.

He gripped my hands hard and I tried not to whimper under the pressure. "Be careful around those vamps Ember." He warned me and when another car pulled up he had to get back to his job. I nodded at his warning. I patted his arm and shooed him away. It took a moment for him to gather himself enough to get into my car. I stood for a minute as he drove off with my car. It was now or never, and I took a few deep breathes and walked into the casino. It was a madhouse. I could hear the whoops and hollers of winners and loser. The constant cha-cing sound of the slots was making my head thump. And it didn't help that I was lost as to where I was supposed to go.

"Ms. Ember," called a voice and I turned at the sound of my name. I didn't like to go around throwing my name around. Though I was sure I had been careful when I got away from my master I didn't want to bastard coming back and sneaking up on me to steal me back. So I wasn't used to people calling me by my first name. Only KP at the club did, and I was getting miffed at the number of people that knew who I was all of a sudden. I had spent a whole year in Vegas without anyone knowing anything about me. I mean even the name on the house wasn't mine, and now it seemed everyone knew who I was.

I looked at the woman who was flagging me down and I walked over to her. Like everyone else she towered over me. She was a woman who had spent years perfecting her outward appearance. Her hair was gelled perfectly into a tight French braid down her back. Not a hair was out of place, and her make was flawless and demurred. Enough to show that she was a woman that loved being a woman, but didn't want to scream that she needed the attention a pound of make-up would give her. She wore one of the DKNY power suits with a smart pair of heels. The slit in her skit was just high enough to show that she was comfortable in her own skin but low enough to let everyone know that she had a brain she intended to use. It was a nice package neat little package. I wondered if that was something I could learn to do.

She was giving me that critical, disapproving eye and I knew it was wrong but I did it anyone. I let my guard down to see what she was thinking as she gave me that look.

I nearly fell back at the flood of voices and emotions that washed over me. And the woman's plastered on smile slipped for a second. "Are you alright Ms. Ember," she asked me. I nodded. I shook my head to clear all the thoughts and the damn ringing. It had been a long time since I let my guard all the way down to listen in to people.

I usually kept my tight mental shield up and stayed out of people's heads. My own life was tragic enough. I didn't need to know about the housewives turning tricks on the strip to pay for a bus ticket to get back home to whatever backwater town they came from. "Follow me please. Mr. de Castro is eagerly awaiting your arrival," she said as she turned and headed to the elevators. She didn't wait for me, and I had a hard time keeping up with her long strides and my slightly wobbly ones in my super high heels.

We had to walk through the entire casino and the noise of coins hitting and then being shoved into the slot machines was enough to give me a headache. A few people let out happy shouts as they won the little bit of money that got them all excited and encouraged them to keep playing to win more. But they never did and those same people would be thinking about taking money out of their kid's college funds in the morning.

The collective sound of our heels hitting the floor put her thoughts into a cadence, and I found myself moving right along. _Who is she to get a special audience with Felipe. Looks like a damn hooker if you ask me. Hmmm, must be a high priced snack or something. Don't know why he doesn't ask me. I would gladly let him bite me._ I had to giggle. She gave me a raised eyebrow as the elevator doors hissed open to let us in. I shook my head and stepped in after her. She slid a card into a slot and punched the pent house button. She was jealous that I was a snack. Who the hell thought like that? Who the hell actually wanted to be bitten and drained like a juice box? If she wanted to know what it felt like to be used like a tampon I could introduce her to my former master. I bet she would have loved that.

Well at least this vamp king did it in style if we were heading to the penthouse. I had seen the suite on a few travel shows. I smiled as we silently rode up to the pent house. "So who are you?" I asked. I already knew but I couldn't very well say anything. I had learned early on not to tip my hand about my strange ability.

She didn't turn around but I could hear the huff in her voice. "I am Mr. de Castro's secretary." she told me snottily. Like her job was better than mine, but I didn't say anything. She could put herself up on a pedestal if she wanted to. Everyone had a right to love what they did. We were both silent the rest of the ride up. Finally the doors hissed open again and we found ourselves in the foyer of the impressive penthouse. From the elevator I got an eyeful of the Vegas strip. The entire floor was incased in glass and you could see straight down the strip on one side and the desert on the other side. It was a nice view, but I wasn't there to admire the view and Snotty Secretary kept right on walking through the foyer through the penthouse.

The penthouse was decorated like they wanted it to look expensive but not stuffy enough for a MTVer to feel uncomfortable. It was a sleek modern feel with modern art along the expansive walls. I could hear music and the sounds of a party going on toward the back of the penthouse.

My brain was buzzing with the thoughts and emotions and they were washing over me and I had to stop and lean against a wall for support. I wanted to kick myself for not letting my guard down more often so it wouldn't feel like I was getting hit with a mac truck. I had been taught better. I didn't want to break out into a cold sweat, that just wouldn't look good with this outfit.

I took a few deep breaths and listened till I could walk and talk without wanting to faint. Snotty Secretary was giving me a look like she wanted to rush me back downstairs and show me the door, which was what she was thinking about doing.

"Hey, your boss invited me, bitch." I snapped. The color drained from her face, then bright pink spots colored her cheeks and she turned from me. I wanted to stick my tongue out at her, but I stopped. I had embarrassed her enough. She was smart enough not to say anything else and she kept on walking. I took another deep breath and followed her on through the place. We broke free from the long corridor and we were on the second story of a winding staircase that overlooked a spacious sunken living room.

The room was teeming with vampires and humans. The vampires were of all colors and ages, well ages when they died. The humans were all young and oozing enough sex that it could have been bottled up and sold by the crate. Everyone turned and looked up at me. I threw on a dazzling smile and gave a little wave to everyone. I knew who Felipe de Castro was before he said anything. He was of course the center of everyone's attention, well before they all looked up at me. Talk about feeling like a literal piece of meat.

"Welcome Ember." he said opening his arms and smiling up at me. _Another telepath, this is getting exciting, _came screaming at me loud and clear. The smile slipped from my face as I realized what I was doing. I was hearing Felipe's thoughts as clearly as if he were still alive. Felipe's faced changed and I slapped my smile back into place and kept on walking. I could hear vampire thoughts. Somehow that revelation didn't make me feel good. It made me feel like Nemo swimming in a churning pool of sharks.

I didn't want to keep listening in to him; especially when he started speculating how good I would look without my clothes on. I only took my top off in the strip club. I kept my underwear on, and me and sex weren't on speaking terms. Fantasizing was as close as I was going to get.

But somehow Felipe thinking of me didn't feel the same as when a human thought of me naked, and Felipe's fangs ran out at the thought and I had to suppress a shudder. I was the little lamb being lead right up to the lion and he was looking hungry.

I walked slowly down the staircase and every vampire eye followed my every move. The mood of the room was charged with a lustful red haze and it made me blush that I was the cause of it. Felipe was barely taller than me, but his shock of jet black hair was combed back from his face and I could see he was hispanic before he was turned. He could almost double as Jimmy Smits, though I was more of a Benjamin Bratt fan, he was still a good looking older man, um vampire. The jet black suit and blood red shirt he was wearing was not putting me at ease, but still I kept walking down those stairs.

I felt the gently nuzzle of Barry and my eyes swung around till I found his. He was my anchor in the chum infested pool I was wading into. I grabbed onto him and refused to let go. I gave him a slight nod and he seemed to visible relax. He thought I was going to be mad at him for telling his boss about me who in turn told Felipe about me. I would talk to him about that later. I was a little miffed, but only just.

"Thank you for the invitation," I smiled at the little vamp as I finally made it over to him. I wasn't sure what to call him so I thought it best not to say anything more. He motioned for everyone to sit and I nodded a thanks and sat gracefully on the end of a black leather couch and everyone else sat once I did. I noticed there weren't any other females in the room and my smile got a little tight. I didn't like that. "I have to admit I was a little surprised to receive it." Might as well get down to business. I wasn't asked her for my looks. And the sooner I got this over with the sooner I could run screaming for the hills.

He looked at me for a few seconds with a serious look on his face. I thought I was in big trouble for speaking out of turn, but his face broke out into a grin, "Women these days are so forthright. I like it." I wasn't sure what time period he was from but I was glad I hadn't offended him, because I was a forthright kind of girl. "Barry's king Stan Davis told me a little piece of information last night that I find very interesting." He indicated a vamp that was sitting in a chair overlooking the view of the strip.

I had to keep from recoiling when he turned to face me. Half of his face looked like something had crushed it. Something big, heavy and very pissed off.

The vamp tried to smile and I could literally see into his brain with the movement. I had to hold back the throw up that was fighting its way up from my stomach. Felipe saw my face. "My colleague Stan was in that terrible Rhodes bombing a few weeks ago." he explained. I heard about the bombing at the Vampire hotel during their convention. More humans died than vamps and I had to wonder at the thought process of the people responsible. I mean if the vamps didn't burn up or get staked obviously they survived. So you actually punished the humans more than you did the vampires.

I turned back to focus on Felipe, and I nodded. "So its true that a few vampires were hurt in the bombing?" I asked in what I hope was a sympathetic manner.

Felipe nodded, "Yes it was a heinous crime. One for which vengeance will not be quick." His smooth face took on a deadly mask and I slid back on the sofa to put a little more distance between myself and his fangs. He winked at me. "Do not fear me child nothing will happen to you I promise." Since he fangs were still out I didn't relax anymore. "But down to business. I have been informed that you my dear are a telepath. Is that true?" He sat down to face me. He cross his legs while resting his tanned fingers on top of his knees.

I thought about how I should answer that, or if I should. I could deny the whole thing and then what? They didn't seem like the type of vamps to just let me walk out of here. And what would happen to Barry if I lied? He might be valuable, but they could still hurt him without killing him. I sighed, "Yes I am." I told him point blank. No sense in lying. They found me in short order, no reason to think they couldn't track me down again if they really wanted me.

He leaned forward as he looked at me. "You know Barry of course is a telepath," he waved at Barry in a dismissive manner. "And one of my sheriffs has a very unique little telepath under his thumb, and I was lead to believe the ability was rare, but here I've met three of you." He spoke as if we were all conspiring together to keep the truth from him. I had just met Barry last night and I didn't know who this other girl was.

I lifted a shoulder. I couldn't explain it. "I've never heard of anyone else with the ability and it was a shock for me when I met Barry," I explained. I mean it wasn't like we had a convention every year to swap stories with each other.

He nodded at my explanation, "Well enough of that. Tell me about your ability." He seemed positively gleeful at the prospect of me.

I looked at the hungry look of the other vamps in the room and it was making me nervous. "Wouldn't this be a conversation better left between friends?" I asked him sweetly. He seemed to ponder the thought and with a nod of his head he dismissed everyone. Someone had to help the disfigured Stan out of the room and I almost sighed when he was gone. "You already know what Barry can do, but I can do it better. Barry doesn't have the mental control that I do." I told him flat out. He looked at me as if he didn't believe what I was telling him.

I minded my manners and didn't offer a snappy comeback. Something told me he would only accept my forthrightness to a degree and now was not the time to test that. "Give me something from this vamp with the other telepath." He stood up and moved with such speed that he was a blur and I had to blink back the tears from the wind disturbance he caused when he finally sat down.

He set down a bejeweled box and motioned for me to open it. I shrugged and tipped it open. As soon as my fingers touched the dagger my mind was warped a thousand miles away. It was like I was flipping on a movie and I was looking into someone's head with such clarity I could almost smell the french fry grease, "Her name is Sookie Stackhouse. Right now she is walking around in a bar where she works. Merlott's or something. Her boss Sam has some new girlfriend, and Sookie thinks the girl is a bit too ferocious for him. She wants to warn him off, but then she doesn't think its right because she hasn't been doing too well in the love department. Her Eric has been distant from her and she's worried he will stray from the relationship. She is feeling something through this blood bond with this Eric. He's agitated about something. Someone called Victor is upsetting him." I couldn't hold the connection and it slipped. I was seriously rusted. I stopped talking and looked up.

If a vampire was ever speechless this vampire was.

His eyes were dark. "And you can tell all this?" he asked. "You aren't a witch or something with a few scying abilities?" I had no idea what the hell he was talking about.

I shook my head just the same. "Everything we touch, everywhere we go we leave a piece of ourselves. Not anything physical, but just like a fingerprint its ours alone, and it can't be confused with someone else. So I can connect with a person through something they have touched or where they have been. And it gives me something like a key into their mind. I don't know how long ago they can touch something or go somewhere and I can still pick up a thought, but I can." I had never really put what I did into words like that. Hell I had never talked to anyone about what I could do.

"How far away can you do this?"

I thought about it, "I can hear some of the people on the street and across the street. I've never really thrown out my net to see how far this goes. And I.." I started to tell him I could hear vamp brains, but something in the fangy way Felipe was looking at me killed that sentence. I didn't think he would like that a whole lot. "And I can go back in someone's memory, and see what they were thinking about yesterday or last week or even last year." I told him to cover up my faux pa.

He didn't say anything. And I didn't have anything to do so I leaned back into the sofa with my legs crossed and my hands in my lap and looked at him. He was thinking of all the possible ways to use me. He was a clear broadcaster and it was a total workout to keep him at bay. He knew Sophia- Ann had been using that Sookie Stackhouse for her gain and he knew that Sookie and Barry had found out about the bombing in time to help a few people and vamps get out though a few did die. Though that left Arkansas and Louisiana opened for a take over. "How did you come by this?" he asked finally.

I shrugged, "I was born with the ability, but I got some training during my time in Japan. The man that was holding me knew of my ability and he wanted me to learn how to harness it and he wanted to use me. So that helped me to I guess develop my ability. He was a very demanding task master." Never mind he kept me chained up like a dog and had been having sex with me since my 6th birthday. That just wasn't polite dinner conversation.

"You were a whore in Japan yes," I glared at him. I did not like to talk about that. He seemed amused at my expression. "Forgive me. I mean no disrespect it is just a simple question. I am not asking for you to bed me. Though if you wish I certainly would not turn you away." He stated simply.

I disregarded his invitation into his bed. Those days were over, thank you very much. Well he wanted to know the full story, "I wasn't a whore as you put it. I was too young to really remember my parents, but I was kidnapped while we were on vacation and sold. I was four and he didn't start screwing me till I was 6. I ran away from him when I was 11. Made it back to the States by the time I was 12 and spent some time in New York. I didn't want to be turned out and put on drugs so I left and I've been in Las Vegas ever since." There he wanted my damn life story well now he had it. And if he had been human I would have cringed when I saw that flicker of pity dance across his face, but his face didn't change. I might as well have told him the best recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

"This is why it is so hard to find anything about you." He wasn't saying it like a question just more of a statement.

"I don't like records. And I never use the name my parents gave me. I'm not that girl anymore" I told him.

"Well young lady I want you to work for me." He said that like I was supposed to drop down in front of him and suck him off just for the offer. I wasn't a fangbanger. "I can pay to where you never have to worry about money again." I smiled at him. So he hadn't been able to get into my bank account.

"I have a job Mr. de Castro, and I have enough money to live." I told him kindly.

"You're a stripper and even in my time that sort of woman wasn't well respected. Besides once word of your ability gets out there are those that won't be as nice with their offers. I can protect you Ember and you can have a good and long life because of it." I noticed that little threat. "I want you Ember and I will have you. Now we just need to agree on the terms." I didn't like being man handled. Not by anyone I didn't care if they had fangs or not.

"Mr. de Castro I appreciate your offer. I really do, but I do like my job.

He waved his hand and cut me off. "Ember, Let me be frank. When I want something I get it. I am a nice enough man to make this offer to you, but make no mistake that I will take you if I have, and I promise I can make the experience last for decades." I nearly shuddered off the couch. "But I would rather we be civilized and you take my offer for employment." Well there was no getting out of this. I really didn't want to know what experience he had in mind for me.

I looked at him, the only thing he could take from me was my life. I didn't have any family or friends and frankly I didn't have a lot of apathy. So he could torture someone in front of my and I wouldn't give a damn. But I really liked living, damnit I had worked hard to keep breathing and I was giving that up for anyone.

So it looked like I was going to be working for the vamps. "First, I get to stay where I am. Second, you don't treat me like a whore and none of your friends or associates get to either. I'm not an object to be passed around. Third you will pay me seven figures for my services. High seven figures." There, I had laid it out. If he wanted me to work for him that was the only way.

He stood up and offered his hand to me. I looked up at him to make sure he wasn't going to kill me. His fangs retracted and I grabbed his hand. His hands were ice cold. I was on my feet so fast he had lifted me almost out of my shoes. He was smiling at him and leaned in close to smell me. He actually inhaled deeply and held it for a few moments. Then he leaned closer till I felt his cool lips in the dip of my collarbone, where my shoulder and neck met. I tried to keep from shivering in fear that he would bite me.

I knew girls who did vamp clubs and they said if the vampire doesn't care getting bite hurt like hell. Though the idiots kept going back to the vamp bars. Yeah, real smart choice. But he didn't bite me but his nearness was making me nervous. "Mr. de Castro," I said hating the tremble in my voice when I spoke.

I felt his fangs grazing up my neck and it took all my self control not to scream and try to run. Finally his lips stopped and he kissed my neck, "I agree to your terms Ember," he said slowly. "You smell fantastic. You have my body absolutely tingling. I find it hard to resist the urge." Well I had heard enough. I wiggled away from him.

"Now Mr. de Castro. I'm not a snack. I'm an employee." I walked around the coffee table and he shook himself from whatever hold my smell was having on him. He shook himself again as if I made his head cloudy. And I was glad that was over. I certainly didn't want to get bite. My skin was too pretty to be sucked on.


	3. Fangy Sleepover

He dismissed me after that and I was glad to scurry on out of his presence. I just was not in the mood to get sucked on, or worse drained.

My heart was thundering in my chest and I dipped into the bathroom to catch my breath and keep myself under control.

My life had just changed in the span of 10 minutes. I splashed some water on my face, retouched my make-up and walked back out.

It sounded like the party was back on and really just starting to swing. And though I wasn't really in the mood to party I guess I had to put in a appearance. I slipped into my sexy mode and sauntered into the room. A DJ had been set up next to the bar and was spinning some pulsing techno music that the humans were writhing to. The lights had dimmed and the mood was relaxed. Some people were standing in clusters and the vamps were scattered around the room, but I didn't see Felipe. I wasn't sure where I should go and who I should talk to.

I spotted Barry standing next to the window looking out onto the strip. I didn't know anyone else in the room, and they seemed to want to just chill with themselves, and I wasn't sure how one would approach a vampire, so I just weaved my way through the crowd and sidled up to Barry.

He didn't turn to look at me, "You took Castro's offer?" he asked softly. I nodded and he sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said anything." he confessed. "I was so mad when Sookie outed me back in Texas and then I go and do it to you." He put his hand on the glass. "Working for the vamps isn't so bad, but it changes you and not in good ways." I wasn't sure if he was going to confess anything to me or if he was just warning me.

I smiled at him, "What makes you think I'm so good right now?" I asked him. I was trying to make a joke but it seemed like he wasn't in the joking mood. I leaned into him and gave him a small smile, _Hey don't worry about me. I've got a few tricks this vamps haven't seen._ I pointed out to him silently. He gave me rueful smile and I was able to relax. I'm not sure why I was growing attached to Barry, I never did that, but I guess we were both the weirdos in the room and that sort of brought us together and that was at least something. _So you were there for the Rhodes Bombing?_ I asked.

He nodded silently, _It was the worst thing I had ever seen. Bodies crushed under the building, vamps burning when the sun hit them. The smell was..._ he shook his head and grew silent. I didn't press him anymore.

The party pulsed behind us and neither of us felt the need to join in. It was just nice standing there with Barry not saying anything, and most importantly not doing anything. I reached out for his hand and he grabbed mine.

It was the most intimate thing I had ever done.

I wasn't sure how long we just stood there, but soon the buzz of drunken brains died down and the driving beat of the music with it.

When I finally let go of his hand and looked around there were only a few vamps and humans left and the vamps were locked in what I thought were intimate embraces till I saw the blood. I made a move to go and stop the blood sucking. I mean they were right out in the open and some of the human's were squirming like they weren't willing donors, but before I could move a step Barry grabbed my elbow pulling me back. I looked up at him fire in my eyes and he shook his head sharply. Well, at least they weren't feeding on me, I thought as his grip eased up on my elbow and we stole out of the living room heading toward the door.

I was going to call it a night. "Ember a moment if you please," called a voice and I stifled a sigh as I turned around. It was the snotty secretary. I gave her a sour look as she motioned me toward her. I tried to keep the tiny stomp out of my step. I was tired and ready to go home and the dull and constant buzz of brains had left me limp as a wet rag. I had never left my shield down that long and I found it had wore me out and now I was cranky. Barry gave me a final smile and a wave and he was on the elevator, and then gone. To his room with his vamps I guessed, I was hoping we could have spent more time together. Really so he could clue me in to all this vamp stuff, but also just because he seemed to be the first real friend I had ever made. All these thoughts were rolling around in my head as I finally stopped in front of Snotty.

"Ember, this is Luis de Castro and he will be staying with you." She introduced a tiny wisp of a vampire. I threw her a look. I didn't need a vamp staying with me. For one half of my house was floor to ceiling picture windows and second I liked my blood right where it was. Which was in my body.

"Why?" I asked her making sure she heard the attitude in my voice. The vampire was smoldering at me so I guessed he wasn't thrilled about this arrangement either.

"Mr. de Castro likes to protect his investments." she said simply. Oh great a vampire bodyguard. "So Luis will be staying with you. Do what he says." she instructed like I was a child. I may look like one, but I wasn't. Well not technically, but she wasn't to know that. I finally turned to give this Luis a once over. He wasn't much taller than me and he didn't look much other than me either, well when he was made a vampire he wouldn't have been that much older than me. He had the longest eyelashes on a boy I had ever seen, ever time he blinked they swept his cheeks, which were high and chiseled against his sharp jaw and straight nose. Though pale, his skin was still the color of warm carmel and his inky black hair was gathered up in a ponytail that was tickling his collar. In a single word he was gorgeous. And at the moment he was supremely pissed, and I couldn't blame him.

I shrugged, there was no getting out of this. "Well can I go home?" I asked Snotty. She gave me a curt nod and walked off in a huff. Bitch, I thought and I was tempted to poke at her sub conscious till she got a headache, but that was a mean. I turned to Luis and was startled that he was already at the door of the elevators. I hadn't even heard him move.

"Let's go," he said. His voice was surprisingly soft, but I didn't think for a minute this vampire was a push over and I stepped onto the elevator with him in tow. It was novel for me to be next to a guy that was barely taller than me. "How old are you?" I finally blurted as we waited for the elevator.

He turned those chocolate brown eyes on me, "I am 735 years old. I was turned in 1291 when I was 15 human years old." he said with a simple dignified air. I was stunned and speechless. I didn't know what to say. I didn't expect him to be that old, well I was right about his human age, but it just never occurred to me that he would be that old in vampire years.

"Who turned you?" I asked and I knew it was the wrong question when the look on his face changed. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you." I said hastily. Now would be a good time for those doors to open. Not that I thought he could be restrained by any of the human guards in the casino but I hoped he would be less likely to kill me in front of witnesses.

"My father," he said simply, but his face didn't change. I figured this was as good as time as any to just stop talking. We finally came to a stop as the doors hissed open and I almost fell out in my haste to escape his smoldering gaze. These heels weren't made for scrambling away either. So not only was the vamprire pissed about babysitting me he was just plain pissed at me. I hurried through the immense lobby and was glad to feel the cool desert breeze on my bare shoulders once we were outside. It had a calming effect on me and with my shield back in place I was in command of myself.

Marshall was off duty, so someone else got my car. I didn't really care I just wanted to go home and crawl into my bed and sleep till I couldn't stand it anymore. We both climbed into the car without saying anything and I drove out of the parking lot. I usually drove like a demon, but I didn't want to give Luis another reason to be pissed at me so I kept myself at the speed limit. The car groaned under my light foot as if it were dying for me to open her up and tear down the freeway toward Henderson.

"I will need some True Blood," he finally said. I have to tell you I relaxed like butter on a warm biscuit when he said that. At least he wasn't planning on draining me once we got to my house. I nodded and turned into a gas station. He handed me a credit card, "AB negative." I nodded and slipped out of the car. There wasn't much going on, it was nearly 5 a.m., and I was the only person in the gas station and the attendant looked bored to be even serving me.

And he didn't offer to help me lug the huge case out to my car and Luis didn't get out to help. What an ass, I thought as I dropped the case in my trunk and slid back into the car. The whole thing took less than 5 minutes and we were back on the road toward my house. And since he didn't offer to help me with that case I floored it. Screw him if he wanted to act like a brat. I didn't ask him to come have a slumber party at my house.

"My father tells me that you are a stripper," he mentioned like he was commenting on the national budget or something.

I turned and looked at him, "Well buddy if you want a private show you have to pay like everyone else," I snapped. He chuckled softly and grew quiet. If I thought I could beat him I would have punched him right in the nose. Since I didn't want to talk to him I turned on my radio just to give me something to listen to all the way home.

I could hear Prada barking as we pulled into my garage and I cut the engine. I had forgotten to order a dog walker for her. I really hoped she hadn't done anything in the house. I scrambled out of the car, cursing my shoes and my carelessness. I threw Luis a look that told him plainly he could get his own damn blood out of the trunk, and hurried to let Prada out. She shot out of the house and ran out into the front yard. I pulled a face, I didn't like her doing anything in the front yard but I guessed I deserved it for forgetting to get her a dog walker. Luis was watching her sniff around the yard like she were a moving piece of dirt that had offended him. I ignored him and walked into the house. I was tired and most of all now hungry.

I had some leftover kung pao chicken in the fridge and I grabbed it with a coke and popped it into the microwave to heat up. Luis was just standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the garage looking like he didn't have anything to do. He was really creeping me out.

He growled and I looked up at him, "You have to invite me in." he said slowly like I was stupid.

I hopped off the counter as the microwave dinged, "Well excuse the hell out of me. I don't get too many vampire house guests. Please come in," I sneered as I grabbed my food and stomped off to the living room to watch some TV. Prada trotted in after me looking very pleased with herself. She jumped up and snuggled in next to me as I sat down in my favorite oversized chair that just swallowed me. I switched on the TV. 'The Other Guys' was just getting started and I smiled. I had been trying to catch that movie for a few weeks.

I guess Luis was exploring the house, because he didn't come into the living room with me. I had three bedrooms upstairs, and my master bedroom was downstairs. At the top of the stairs to the right was the first bedroom and I only had a twin bed and a TV in it. A few girls from the club had slept in there when they were hiding out from their boyfriends or drug pushers . Maybe a night or two, I didn't want them brining that drama around my house, but I wasn't mean enough to not give them a place to crash when they needed it.

The second bedroom across the hall was my work out room. I didn't think I would gain any weight, but I had to keep everything tight and taunt. I made my living from my body I had to keep it tight working order. A jack and jill bathroom connected my workout room to the room next door. That room was my office. My computer was sitting atop a silver and glass desk. I knew I had a ton of emails and maybe a few bookings to go through. That made me smile, because that meant more money.

"This is all yours?" he asked.

"Damnit," I almost jumped out of my skin. "Will you make a noise or something." I asked glaring at him as he sat down on my couch and fixed those brown eyes on me. "Yes this is my house. I live here alone." I answered.

"How can you afford this?" Well wasn't he Mister Nosy today?

I moved over in my chair so I could look directly at him, "Hmmm, so I'm guessing you want to hear my whole story since Felipe couldn't dig up anymore dirt on me huh?" I asked him. He didn't show that he wanted me to continue so I did. "Ok well here goes. Are you paying attention?" I asked him sarcastically. He motioned for me to keep going. "I was kidnapped while on vacation with my parents in Prague. I was sold into sexual slavery to an American living in Japan. He didn't start abusing me till I was 6. When I ran away from him I stole some of his money." I shrugged and popped a piece of chicken into my mouth and the sting of the spice almost caused my eyes to water.

"How much did you take?" he asked me softly. I couldn't tell if he was upset over me stealing the money or if he was just asking me a question.

I fidgeted in my seat. "Well I just took everything he had in one of his bank accounts." I said.

"How much did you take Ember?" He asked with a final air.

I sighed, "Almost $900,000," I told him softly. One of his perfectly plucked eyebrows raised and he leaned back into the sofa looking like he belonged there.

"Do you fear this man will come after you for his money?"

I shook my head, "Not if he likes his life the way it is. I've got enough on him to bury him six feet under. Oh sorry," I muttered. I didn't know if vampires like grave humor, but Luis waved off the apology.

"Why did you ask my father for so much money if you have enough?"

"A girl like me can never have enough money. It makes me feel safe. No matter what happens to me. If I need to just drop everything here and leave I can. And I will be taken care of." I told him.

"You work for my father and he sent me to watch you. Nothing will happen to you." He said like I should just relax and be happy about that. I looked at him.

"If that helps you sleep during the day. But I spent almost 7 years with a man who told me he was going to take care of me and he made me have sex with him before I turned 7 years old." I pointed out to him and he looked at me sharply. I shrugged.

Damn it was tiring being around him. "Do you want this man dead?" he asked like he was asking to borrow a bowl of milk or something. I looked at him trying to keep my mouth from dropping open. I can't lie and say there weren't nights I wished he were dead. There were plenty of those, but to actually be presented with that question in such a nonchalant manner chilled me to my core. I didn't have one single doubt that if I said yes that he wouldn't wake up in the morning.

"No, I don't want him dead." I told Luis. He seemed to accept my answer and we settled into a silence. I turned my attention back to my TV and my food. I was finished in no time and I got up to take my dishes into the kitchen and Luis followed me.

"I will need somewhere to sleep during the day." He said as I opened up the dishwasher to dump my bowl and fork into it.

"Can't you take one of the bedrooms upstairs?" I asked.

"They have windows. I can't risk it." He replied simply. It was if he were a teacher and he was trying to explain to a child why they couldn't eat glue.

I sighed and straightened up to look at him, I kicked the dishwasher door closed with my toe. "Well all of my rooms have windows. I mean my whole house does. Where do you think you can sleep?" I asked him grabbing another coke out of the fridge.

"I will make some calls before I sleep to have a place made for me, but for now I can sleep in your closet."

I looked up at him. It was still nice that I didn't have to look up far. "In my room?" I asked though I clearly knew that was what he meant.

"I won't disturb you." I screwed up my face to say something snarky and nasty, but I stopped myself. I had signed up for this and I guess this was the price I was going to have to pay for working with the vampires. Wish someone had told me that before I signed up, though it didn't seem like I had a choice in the matter.

This was going to be a rocky relationship.

I sighed, "Come on then its almost dawn and I'm dead tired." I shuffled out of the kitchen down the hallway toward my bedroom. Prada shot ahead of us to claim her spot at the foot of my bed. I guess she was sacred Luis was there to take her place. I smiled.

My bedroom was located down the hall from the kitchen and living room area. It was the only room on that side of the house. My massive bedroom was dominated by my king size bed and its over the top cream colored headboard. I loved my bed, and so did Prada and she was looking as smug as a French Bulldog could look as she turned around on the bed a few times before settling in.

Luis took it upon himself to sit down on my bed and I frowned. I said he could sleep in my closet not make himself at home on my bed. "I do have to change you know." I pointed out to him. I was still wearing my dress and my hair was all over the place.

He leaned back on the bed propping his hands behind his head. "I am not stopping you." he seemed amused about something and I was honestly too tired to see what that was, and I didn't want to try. Getting the thoughts of vampires was scary enough, I didn't want to chance saying something or reacting to something unspoken in front of them. So it was best to not even tempt myself.

I popped my hands on my hips and glared at him, "I told you. If you want to see me naked you have to pay like everyone else." Living, breathing human or not he was still a male and I know what they all wanted and he wasn't getting it from me. He could call up one of those fangbangers from his daddy's party for that.

He reached down into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He proceeded to throw a few hundred dollars bills on the bed. I could feel the heat radiating off my face. "I told you're father that none of you damn people get to treat me like a whore. So you know what you can get the hell out of my house and find your way back home." I stomped out of my bedroom in to my bathroom and slammed the door.

I was glad I got the door closed before the angry tears slid down my cheeks. "Damnit," I muttered snatching up a face cloth and wiping my eyes. I hated crying when I was upset, but I couldn't help it. He knocked on the door and I ignored him, I didn't have anything to say to him. He knocked again and again I ignored him as I walked into the closet to change out of my dress and hang it up. I had a bad habit of throwing my clothes on the floor and leaving them, but this was a nice dress. I pulled the dress off and hung it up on the hanger. I was in the process of taking off my underwear when I turned around and Luis was standing in the doorway of my closet. "Oh my god!" I shouted. I was naked he was just standing there watching me. I yanked my bathrobe from its hook and threw it around myself. "What the hell are you doing in here?" I shouted at him.

"You didn't answer when I knocked. I thought something was wrong," he shrugged.

"And so you just stand there and watch me undress?" He shrugged again and walked into the closet looking around and inspecting the place like I wasn't even there. I let out a frustrated squeak and stomped out of the closet.

I jumped into my bed and turned my body away from the bathroom. He actually made a noise as he walked back into the bedroom. I guess he wanted to make sure I knew he was there. "I've upset you and that was not my intention." he said.

I turned around and looked at him, "Yeah whatever," and turned right back and around and went to sleep.


	4. First Job Assignment

For someone sleeping with a vampire in their closet I slept like that dead, and if Prada hadn't been licking my face I would have slept the entire day away. I groaned and pushed the little dog off my chest, "Get off Prada." I whined. I so did not want to get up at all. I was used to being up at all hours of the night. Stripping during the day just didn't bring in the money. People felt bad about doing "bad" things in the light. "It's just seedy," a lady had told me in the grocery store. Though in Las Vegas many clubs were open 24 hours a day, the Cottontail wasn't.

I glanced at the closet once, I was sorely tempted to open it and see what a sleeping vampire looked like, but the sunlight was streaming into my room and a particular patch I noticed was aimed right at the door. I slid out of bed and closed the curtains and the blinds. He couldn't say I wasn't a good hostess. I glanced at the clock as I pulled on my robe and pulled it tight. It was barely nine, and I hadn't gone to sleep till a little after five. I was not going to be a happy camper. But first things first, I needed coffee if I was going to face the day.

I was on my way to the kitchen when I heard a knock at the door. The day was already starting, I sighed and padded over and opened the door. It was Calvin from down the street. His eye popped when he took in the bathrobe I had one. "Um I'm here to walk Prada," he said as a way of a recovery. I had sent him a text message before I finally crashed last night. I was slightly dismayed and pleased at his early arrival.

I gave him and look and once he looked away properly cowed, "$200 a week. You come in through the back door. You walk her every single day. Change out her bowls. And you can help yourself to a snack or something. The key will be under the flower pot by the back door." I told him. He brightened at the dollar amount and nodded like the Derek Jeter bobble head head toy I got in my box of Rice Krispies the other day. I handed him the money and Prada's leash from the side table inside the door. Prada came barking happily over. I knelt down and scratched behind her ears. "Take care of her or its your ass." He nodded several times as he hooked her up to her leash. I watched them as they walked down the road. Prada was the only thing in this world that I loved.

Some of the other neighbors were stirring and heading off to work, and I headed back into the house. I went into the kitchen to start my day and perk up a bit. I wasn't used to anyone being in my house and this was grating on my nerves and my sense of well-being. I poured my coffee with one hand and bit into a donut with another. Yeah, yeah I know. But I paid for it with my workout routine. So I didn't feel the least bit guilty. Other women acted like I was supposed to feel guilty, which I never understood. Oh well.

I was settling in to watch the The View when my phone rang, ok this was getting beyond irritating. I picked it up and answered it, "Hello." I didn't keep the irritation out of my voice either.

"Mr. de Castro would like me to inform you he has a meeting in Louisiana and he would like you to accompany him. His plane is departing the airport at 9pm this evening and he expects you there at 8:30. Pack for a couple a days. Business casual, and a few formal gowns. A car will be there to pick you up."a snitty voice informed me. Oh great a business trip. It was Queen Snotty on the other line, and she just picked the wrong morning to give me attitude.

"I have to work tonight. You can't just tell me these things out of the blue like that." I shot back. I was really starting to hate this woman.

"Quit your job then." she said. I could hear the little self important nod over the phone. "Mr. de Castro will require you when he requires you." she told me. I snorted and hung up the phone.

"Damn," she spat out savagely. I did not need this today. It had only been one day and already these vampires were turning my life upside down. I steamed and fumed for several minutes, totally missing The View. I liked having a job and I liked my job. Yeah I was a stripper, but no one expected anything out of me. I didn't have to put in any effort or even brain power. I just jumped on the stage, danced and stripped down to be g-string. "Ah hell," I was going to quit my job.

Well if I was going to quit I needed to go into the club and get my last paycheck. I drained my cold coffee and chased it with another donut and wandered back into my room and got dressed. It was a good thing I had a habit of dropping my clothes on the chair beside my TV because I couldn't go into my closet. Luis was in there. I wasn't too sure how he would react to me waking him up during the middle of the day.

I threw on some jeans and a t-shirt, grabbed my purse and was out the door. The heat index was nearly 102 and though I had the air blasting I was still burning up. It barely took my two TLC songs to get to the club. I was really pressing my luck with the speed limit.

There were only a few cars in the parking lot and I pulled right up to the door and got out.

It was weird seeing the club in the daylight. It was a nice exterior than most strip clubs, with its Grecian columns and potted topiary flanking the front door. This made it seem like we were sophisticated strippers, but it was still a strip club.

I could see KP was up in his office and that's where I headed. His glass fronted office faced the door and it overlooked the main stage. Tamala was working behind the bar, restocking everything and straightening up. She took her job seriously and had been at the club longer than anyone else. Other than KP himself. I waved to her on the way to KP's office.

His door was open and I knocked on the door jam. He looked up and waved me in. "I need to talk to you." I sat down in the chair facing his desk. "I've taken a new job and I'm here to collect my last paycheck." There was no use in idle chitchat.

He looked up at me and threw his pen down on his desk. I jumped and looked at him. So much for not pissing him off. "You signed a three year contract with me Ember." he looked at me. "And if you aren't going to another club, and I'm not letting you go." He said that like he owned me. "I've got a whole campaign push going with calendar shoots, and you're one of my top earners. Hell your damn name is on the marquee. You aren't leaving." he said the last sentence with a cold fury that shocked me.

I stood up from my chair, "You know what keep the money." If he thought he could control me he had another thing coming. I had done my share of being the sheep and I wasn't going back to it. He stood up too and glared down at me. He moved from around his desk as I moved toward the door. He had a gleam in his eye that I had seen before and I looked around for something to grab to hit him in the gut with you. He snatched at my arm and yanked me off my feet.

He glared down at him twisting my arm painfully behind my back. Sharp pains shot up my arm and I whimpered. "I own you." he growled. I should really take Karate or something.

I was pulling in air to scream, surely Tamala would coming running to my rescue, but he must have seen what I was about to do because his hand went for my throat and chocked off the air I was pulling for a high pitch scream. I was hanging from his vice grip.

"I would let the lady go." rumbled a deep voice. My eyes were watering and I had to blink several times before they cleared so I could see my rescuer. It was a man the size of a large boulder. Complete with the round bowl haircut.

KP glared at the man, "Who the hell are you?" incredulously.

The man rolled his shoulders giving off an impressive display of muscles, "Miss Ember's bodyguard. Now I suggest you let her go." I had no idea who this guy was but at this point the room was taking on a dark haze and I just wanted KP to let go. And thankfully he did throwing me to the ground. The mountain caught me before I face planted and he set me right back up on my feet, keeping a massive paw at my back. "Now I believe you owe her some money. Hand it over and we will be on our way." he said it some calmly that KP was stunned into just handing over my money. I rubbed my throat and glared at him the whole time.

The mountain helped me out of the club and back into the harsh sunlight that had suddenly blared to life. "What's your name?" I managed to croak as I slid into my car.

He stared down at me, "Chase," I blinked up at him. I thought his name would be Diesel or Bullet. Something dangerous. "Boss said to watch you during the day till Luis is awake. I will follow you home." He nodded and climbed into his black H3.

I didn't feel like going home. There was nothing for me to do there anyways. So I drove over to the Char-Grill drive in for something to eat. I pulled in and tied a bandana around my neck. I didn't want anyone looking at me funny. Chase climbed out of his car and people parted like cold butter cut with a hot knife. It was impressive to say the least. I walked up the the window and snagged one of the order pads to place my order.

"Do you eat here?" Chase asked looking at the menu.

"Only when I need a pick me up. Its been a hell of a day and its not even noon yet." I ordered chili cheese fries with a large orange slice milkshake. They had the best milkshakes I ever had, and boy were they addictive. Chase ordered several plain garden burgers. He explained he was a vegetarian when I gave him a sideways glance. We grabbed one of the outdoor tables with a umbrella overhead. I sucked on my milkshake and almost let loose a deep sigh when the cool liquid slid down my aching throat. I looked in my compact mirror and saw the outline of KP's beef hand print around my neck. The jerk, I thought savagely.

"He won't be happy about this," Chase commented scaring the crap out of me. I thought he had gone to pick up our order. For a mountain he sure moved softly and lightly.

I took my box of chilli cheese fries, "Who won't be happy about what?" I scoop up a fry with some piping hot chili.

With one bite he finished off an entire burger. "Mr de Castro." he said as he unwrapped another burger. "He is very particular about his people and you are very important to him." He swallowed two burgers in rapid succession "You seem like a normal human to me. Are you rich or something?"

"Do you think if I was rich I would be stripping?" I shot back.

He smiled and his dimples almost sunk into his face, "Guess not," he finished he food and waited patiently for me to finish mine.

"I guess I have a skill that he wants to use," I wasn't sure if I should be telling everyone what I was. Never had a divulged that piece of information and something was telling me that I should keep my mouth shut, and I did. I finished eating in silence and Chase let me. He was actually good company. I took my time eating but when I finished we had barely been sitting there for an hour. I cleaned up my mess and Chase followed me over to my car. "I'm just going home Chase no one is going to bother me there." Plus I didn't want someone else invading my home, even if he saved me from a sure butt whopping.

"Bridget said to watch you and that's what I'm going do." He didn't leave any room for argument, so I just shrugged and climbed into my car and headed for home.

I would rather spend my off days at the pool in one of the hotels or just relaxing at the Hard Rock or something, but I just felt like crawling into my bed and never leaving. So it was a slow drive home and I was happy to pull into my garage and hop out. Chase parked on the street and walked into the garage as I was unlocking the door. He was looking over the house and for once I was glad that I was a pit of a neat freak with the public areas of my home. I just hated making my bed.

"Make yourself at home. There are some bedrooms upstairs if you need a nap. I'm taking some Ibuprofen and a nap." I announced, Chase just nodded and went to explore the house. I went to my room and did just what I told him I wanted to do.

We touched down in Louisiana and the first thing I thought was what a country bumpkin town. I mean the airport was one building and I turned to ask Felipe's secretary why we didn't pull in at a major airport, but decided against it. My job wasn't to worry about the travel arrangements. That was her little territory.

We didn't taxi to any gates at the one building airport, but we kept on rolling right into one of the hangers dotted around the airport grounds. A limo was sitting beside a red carpet. Well, this was a nice surprise. I had never been on a red carpet before. Not that there were any camera or anything to greet us.

Stepping off the plane I was almost chocked by the humidity. It felt like a heavy winter coat that I didn't want to wear, but I had to. I mean I could physically swallow it. Louisiana was not my favorite place just for that reason. If I was going to be hot I wanted a nice cry heat. I was dressed in a simple yellow MAXI dress that clung to my assets. It wasn't overtly sexy, it was just sexy by default, and I was wearing it well. I could feel the resentment rolling off Secretary Snotty as she followed behind me on the stairs. I was higher up the food chain than she was and this was only my first day of work.

The driver nodded as I stepped into the limo and say opposite Felipe and Luis. Snotty slid in beside me and I scooted as far away from her as I could. I didn't want her to touch me. I was slowly letting my guard down and if she touched me I would be drenched in her emotions and thoughts. I was working and I had to keep the mental "highway" as clear as possible.

Snotty rolled her eyes at me as she picked up the phone in the armrest when the car started rolling out of the hanger, "Fangtasia." she spoke and then hung up the phone. That must be some sort of code word.

Felipe looked at me, "Tonight you will meet one of my sheriffs Eric Northman and his telepath Sookie Stackhouse. Eric is the single holdover from the Sophia Anne regime. Sophia Anne is the queen I replaced." I got the feeling that it was a hostile take over. "Something is brewing in Louisiana and I want to get to the root of it and deal with it. I have the largest vampire kingdom in the United States in 200 years and I can feel the fangs of my fellow kings and queens on my neck and I would like to stay a step ahead of them." He explained. I nodded. And I mentally prepared myself for the mental assault I was going to put myself in.

Snotty didn't bother trying to engage me in conversation. She knew I didn't like her any further than I could throw her and she felt the same way.

Felipe and Luis were doing that silent exchange thing and I was sure they could communicate like that. I wanted to ask about it, but I stopped myself. Vampires weren't ones for just idle chatting. I settled back into the seat and prepared for the drive. It was the smoothest ride I had ever experienced and I loved it. I wasn't sure how long the drive was and I nestled myself into my seat and closed my eyes.

I didn't know where we were going and I didn't care. I was just trying to work myself up and get myself ready to go. Everyone slipped into a silence, but it wasn't the sort to make you scramble for something to say. I opened my eyes and noticed we were on the highway. There wasn't much to look at. A gas station here or there and a few bars. Nothing stood out and everything looked the same to me. That grey, dingy color. Like someone had taken a bucket and doused the entire state. I certainly wouldn't want to live here.

The highway continued to zip by and soon everything was just blurring together for me and I started to get antsy. I was never one to just sit still. We took and exit and I finally started to see signs of life. Neighborhoods zipped by, storefronts flashed on. I was glad to see some forms of life.

We pulled into a shopping center, though it was too late for the place to be crawling with soccer moms and their cargo of trailing kids. It was a U-shaped center with an alley wrapping around the entire complex. I had no idea where we were going.

The car stopped in front of a grey building with a glaring red sign. The word 'Fangtasia' winked at me and I smiled. Clubs and bars I know. I was on familiar stomping ground. I relaxed a little bit. The car slid to a stop and the driver got out. The door opened and we went out in reverse order of importance with Snotty leading the way, followed by me then Luis and finally Felipe. I was startled to see a contingent of vampires waiting for us at the door. They all bowed as Felipe let his gaze fall on all of them.

They were waiting on his instructions like they didn't know if they could think for themselves, but I took charge and sauntered up to the door. Felipe said tonight was strictly a social call just to get himself situated with the lay of the land as he called it. So I saw no need to stand on such formalities. A striking blonde was manning the door. She looked like an Amazon that had swallowed Morticia Adams. Her hair seemed to float around the black velvet dress she was wearing with the matching black nail polish on her porcelain hands.

A fierce scowl danced across her face before she caught herself. It was the quickest expression change I had ever seen. Before the right side of her mouth could finish the scowl the left side had already replaced it with a frosty smile. It caught me off guard and I had to hitch my smile higher on my face to recover.

I didn't need to read what she was thinking. You could feel it rolling off her in tidal waves. She wasn't pleased at our presence, and I was a tad scared to be approaching her. But I was too close to turn back now. I laid my little purse on the little podium she was standing behind. "Now why would a woman as beautiful as you be scowling?"I purred. I know how to ooze sex and I was turning it on. Big Time, and the dress was helping.

I could see the moonlight reflect off her teeth as she smiled down at me. "Has our king brought us a lovely snack to enjoy," she was undressing me with her acute eyesight and I tried to keep myself from squirming under her scrutiny.

I shook my head no, and my hair swept back and forth across my back. It was a flirty move I had learned at the strip club, and I was working it for all it was worth. "If you ate me now you would miss my floor show." I gave her a wink and by the time the rest of my group got to the door. The vampire was in full lust mode.

She snapped to attention, thought it was a half-hearted attempt and she gave a stiff bow to Felipe. I stepped back to defer to Felipe. "My king," she murmured.

Felipe smiled, "Ah Pam. It is always a pleasure." he inclined his head to acknowledge her bow and she swept open the door.

The music was blaring and the interior was dark.


	5. If the Room is a Rocking

Felipe walked in first and Luis followed him. I followed behind him. This was like a follow the leader sort of night. Tables were scattered around the main floor with a VIP section roped off on the far wall away from the door. Vampires were placed here and there like dangerous party favors. A long bar stretched almost from the door all the way to the other side of the club. It faced the stage and DJ booth. Tonight the DJ was spinning and the crazy fangbangers were writhing to the music. It was a mix of Top 40 hits. I caught myself wanted to rock to the music.

It was strange that I didn't see him earlier, but my eyes caught sight of pinpoint of light in the darkened club. He stood up from the VIP table and my heart skipped several beats. He was well over six feet tall with a trail of straight blonde hair that hung loose and luminous around his head. His ice blue eyes were burning with such intensity I had to drop my gaze and pray I wasn't on fire.

I took a few breaths and looked up and he was standing right in front of me. It took all my self control not to rock back on my heels and faint. His eyes locked on to mine and my heart was trying to break free from my chest.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" It was a command, and I was going to obey.

"Ember," I mouthed.

He took my hand and had to stoop to bring it up to his lips. He almost pulled me straight up out of my heels I was so short and he was so tall. I kept still as his cool lips brushed my hand. I felt the little graze of his teeth and I snatched my hand back barely containing the little yelp. I was glad the music was blaring. "I see Felipe likes to collect beautiful things." he said winking at me. Why did everyone just assume I was a party favor or just a blood bag of the king's? It was getting a tad annoying.

Felipe was done looking around the club and making nice with everyone and his arm wound around my waist, "Oh she is more than just beautiful." He leaned over and kissed my cheek. I felt my face flush at the contact. "Good evening Eric. I see you have met Ember already." There was an edge to his voice and I couldn't understand why.

Eric's eyes slid from mine to Felipe's, "Forgive me sir. I couldn't help myself when she walked in looking good enough to eat." he bowed deep once again to show how trite he was as his breach of protocol at speaking to me before Felipe. Were they serious?

Felipe waited a second longer, I guess to keep Eric wondering in. "No matter." he waved his hand and Eric straightened back up to his impressive height. "So Eric Northman this is my associate Ember. Ember this is the Sheriff of Area 5, Eric." I gave Eric a tight smile and he smiled back.

He swept his hand back and gestured toward the VIP area. "I have a table ready for you sir." Felipe kept his arm around my waist and steered me through the crowd. All eyes were on us, vampire and human. The drunken brains were simply buzzing about our arrival and the prospect of the new vampires. Some of the woman wondered what I had done to receive such attention, and some of the men were thinking of the vile things I had done or were going to do with the vampires. It was enough to turn my stomach but I kept that smile on my face.

I slid into the velvet booth and was taken aback when someone else was already sitting there. Again another blonde. Were they growing them on trees down here or something?

She was as blessed in the boob department as I was though she had a huskier frame than I did. So her breasts just added to the totally roundness of the rest of her. She wasn't fat by a long shot, but she could stand to push back from the table once and awhile.

She was wearing a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes. She seemed nervous about something, and a quick dip into her head told me all I needed to know. I would have to tell Felipe about all of that later.

I waited for everyone to seat themselves before I spoke to her. It seemed there was an order to things and I didn't want to overstep myself again. Everyone got settled and my attention was drawn back to the door as the vampire Felipe had called Pam walked into the bar. She seemed to be glowing a bit and I wondered why that was.

So it took me awhile to feel the tickle of someone intruding into my head. I knew it was Sookie, but she was stronger than Barry and more aggressive with her invasion. For a minute we did a mental run around the table. I had a leg up on her as she didn't know about me but I knew about her. She thought I was just a donor for Felipe, but she was still giving me a good once over to report back to Eric. I was able to screen things from her and keep her out of my most private thoughts.

But I was highly pissed that she was flipping through my head and I caught the tail of her consciousness and pressed down hard and sharp. Harder than I had pinched Barry. These two were highly intrusive and invasive. And it pissed me off. I knew I was wrong as soon as I did, but still it was a good lesson for her to learn.

She flinched, and her eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped against Eric. "Sookie," He was visible concerned about her and I felt the first ever twang of jealousy. The feeling made my cheeks burn. He gave Sookie a gentle shake and her eyes fluttered open. It took her a minute to reorient herself and come around.

Eric looked from me to Felipe and back to me, I shrugged. She shook herself and resumed her seat, "Forgive me Felipe. Keeping vamp hours is taking some getting used to," her southern accent was thick as hell. It was like Jello pudding, and I hated that stuff. But her tight smile was back. Everyone waited a few more minutes before resuming the conversation. Eric and Felipe went into more pleasantries and Sookie excused herself to go freshen up.

The boys were talking vampire stuff in some language I had never heard before, and it was boring me. No one was paying me any attention and Snotty was at the bar charming some fangbanger who thought she was good for a one night stand. I snorted at his assumption, because Snotty was a total clinger and he had no idea what he was in for. This was boring and he said this was a social call so I didn't have to sit here and act like a expensive piece of furniture.

I turned on my smile and looked at Felipe, "Would it be alright if I danced sir," I made sure I was showing the proper respect to Felipe. I was the new underling even though I ranked higher up than Snotty. He gave me a nod and I slithered out of the booth and onto the dance floor. People parted around me like they were scared the vamps would tear them apart if anyone bumped against me. The DJ turned on a Ciara song and I wanted to squeal with delight. Ciara was great for dancing the night away and that's what I intended to do.

I had barely gone two paces when I felt her hand on my hips. I knew who it was, and I felt something below my navel pull. "Did you ask if you could touch me?" I asked softly. I knew she could hear me over the beat of the music.

She twirled me around and pulled me close to her. I could feel the lust level in the room rise and patrons turned to get a good view of the show. She leaned down. "I figured that little smile you gave me at the door was an invitation enough." She said sliding her hands down the length of my short body to the top of my thighs. "I'm Pam." She was leading us and I was content to follow.

"Ember," I told her. Pam was putting my body through the paces and she was dancing with me like no one else was watching, and I could feel the eyes of everyone in the bar on us. I had only ever danced with a girl once and let's just say me and Pam were wearing more clothes. The lights and the music were making me dizzy but Pam had a strong hand on me and she wasn't going to let me fall.

The music changed. It sounded like one of those songs they play for the Tango on Dancing with The Stars. Only the beat sounded Old World. Like before the Constitution Old World. Pam's grip on my hips didn't let up, and she moved, twisted and spun me around with expert ease. The song was laced with sexual undertones, though me and Pam were being very overt. She had my heart racing and I had to admit I was turned on as well.

The driving beat of the music was building and swelling and Pam dipped me just as the song rose to a thundering crescendo. The light in her eyes was almost red and before I could stop her she dipped her head and her fangs sank into the soft flesh of my neck. I yelped and my body went slack, but not from the pain simply from the shock of being bite. It hurt like hell, and she was clamped down hard.

"Pam!" a voice barked and her body went taunt and if she hadn't held onto me I would have sank to the floor. Surprisingly there wasn't any blood on my dress. Pam hadn't wasted a drop. Her face was pinker and there was a trace of blood on her lips.

I wasn't sure I could stand on my own, but Pam righted me and turned around to face Eric. Her cheeks were rosy and her face looked flushed under the dim bar light. "Ember is a guest of our king." he stated. I could see everyone at our table looking at both of us. I couldn't read Felipe's face, but he was broadcasting clear as a bell. He wasn't pleased that Pam had bitten me without his permission and he was giddy over how Eric would punish her, but he was glad that I had managed to entice Pam. Who as it turned out was Eric's second in command. He thought he could use that to his advantage. Well I would just tell him that wasn't going to happen. "You have embarrassed me. Go to my office and wait. That is an order." She let go of me and I swayed from the blood lose. I was a tiny thing. Luis was instantly at my side to help me over to the table. He climbed in and he let me perch at the end of the booth.

Eric finally sat down once I was settled, "Please forgive my child. She sometimes forgets her place." he gave me a curtsey head bow and I smiled weakly at him. I wasn't sure I was supposed to speak. I was just a snack for the King after all.

Felipe however wasn't satisfied at the missed chance to see punishment dealt out. "Eric your child has touched one I've claimed as mine what do you offer to placate me?" Eric looked at Felipe his brain was racing with suggestions. "Why I think it is only fair that I be offered something from someone you have claimed." He said it innocently enough that it was almost hard to believe that he had just thought of that.

Almost.

Eric looked from Felipe to Sookie and I saw Sookie chest filling up with air to balk at the suggestion, "My king, Sookie is my wife." The air whooshed right out of Sookie and Felipe. "It would be unbecoming of a king to take from another's wife," he said smoothly.

That was a bombshell, and my mouth did drop open a few notches. That wasn't hard seeing as I was three sheets to the wind with dizziness already. Felipe looked at Eric as if trying to sense some subterfuge. "Why was I not informed?" His smile was back, but if another it made him seem more sinister and I could feel Sookie shivering with fear, though I was too woozy to make out anything she was actually thinking.

Eric shrugged, "Victor was present. He witnessed the presentation. Was it not his place to inform you?" he asked.

Felipe nodded, "Yes it was." and that's all he said about it.

And I was going to call it a night. All this back and forth vampire stuff was enough to drive someone crazy and my head felt like a balloon and it was about to detach from my body and float away. I stood up, "Is it alright if Pam takes me back to the hotel?" I asked. I didn't want her to get in trouble for something that had been partly my fault for winding her up. Eric and Felipe both looked at me. Felipe had forgotten all about punishing Pam and Eric was grateful for me distracting Felipe from his bloodlust for Pam.

"Is it alright if your child accompanies Ember back to the hotel. I can guarantee her a place if she can not make it back before the sun rises." Eric nodded, and then Felipe nodded toward me.

"Thank you Mr. Northman It was a pleasure meeting you. Likewise Ms. Stackhouse." Felipe wanted me to play the role of a simple human toy and not reveal myself to either of them what I really was. So I thought the goodbye was harmless enough. I gave them both a smile and I turned head...where? "Where is Pam?" I asked and Eric pointed toward a door marked Private. I nodded once again and slowly made my way across the dance floor. The bar was thinning out and it didn't take me long to make it to the other side. Though I was trying to keep the whole place from tilting and my falling. It was hard work.

I opened the door and found myself in a short hallway with another door at the end marked Private. I assumed that was the office Eric had told Pam to go wait in. It was easier to walk now without my vision swimming and I made short work of that hallway. I found Pam sitting on one of the couches against the wall. Her eyes were open but it didn't look like she was looking at anything. She was just sitting there, like someone had pulled the plug on her. It was disconcerting and I almost backed out of the room.

Once she realized I was there she seemed to snap out of the trance she was in and she looked at me. "I am sorry." she seemed to have a hard time saying those words.

I smiled at her and leaned against the door jam for support. "Its alright. Eric said you could take me back to the hotel." she was on me in a flash. One minute she had been on the couch. The next minute I was in her arms and she was nuzzling my neck. "Hold on there." I said trying to push against her. It was like pushing against a brick wall. "We have all the time in the world for this." I whispered in her ear.

She pulled back from me, picked me up, and swung me into her arms. "What are you?" she asked. I didn't know what she meant and Felipe told me not to talk about myself to any of them. I leaned against her, grateful for the support. I didn't realize how much blood Pam had taken in that quick little bit. She took us outside and slid me into the backseat of a midnight black Nissan. I would have thought vampires drove flashy cars or hearses. I giggled slightly as Pam pulled out of the parking lot and maneuvered through the neighborhood and jumped onto the highway.

I laid back and didn't say anything. I guess she knew where she was going, because I didn't have a clue where the hotel was and frankly I was dubious of any hotel around this place. I pulled my heels off and tucked them into my purse and tried to remember where we were going. I must have passed out because the next thing I remember was Pam pulling me out of the car and walking me up to the door. "We're with the de Castro party," she announced. I hoped I didn't look drugged or anything. I hated drug addicts. "This is Ember."

The desk clerk nodded and handed Pam a key. "She's in room 512." he told her softly. I closed my eyes and just waited to be in my room. It was a short trip and Pam never let me down once. Well she did to lay me in the bed.

She crawled into the bed with me and draped an arm across my stomach. "It was not my place to bite you." I think she was trying to apologize to me. Since her first one was just an automatic response and not heartfelt.

I turned over with great effort and looked at her. "I've never been bitten before." I confessed. Her hand was slowly moving up my thigh. Her fangs ran out and I shrank back from her. I couldn't help it.

She leaned down and kissed my cheek. "Do not fear me," her tongue snaked out and licked my earlobe.

"Are you going to drain me?" my voice quivered. She had pushed up the hem of my dress up to my hips. Her fingers were playing with the string of my bikini cut panties.

She shook her head and her hair fell across my face, "Nothing of the sort." and then she really kissed me. Dots of light burst in front of my eyes as we kissed. When we broke apart I was panting, Pam of course wasn't. "Do you want this?" she asked and I thought it was sweet that she would ask for something she could have easily taken. Like some many in my life.

I looked at her and thought about it what she was asking. I knew what she was asking and I wanted it, but I was touched that she was asking. More than touched as the tears slid down my face. If a vampire could look startled Pam did, but I nodded my head and pulled her down on top of me kissing her the whole time.


	6. Vampire Conference

It was the most amazing sex I had ever had. Well for one thing it was consensual, and the second thing I found out that I like women a hell of a lot more than I liked men. I guess I had my upbringing to thank for that. Or Pam. Whichever it was a great night for me. Even if I felt like a limp rag afterwards. Pam had bit me again. It seemed sex and biting went hand and hand for vampires.

We fell apart from each other, my chest was rising and falling rapidly as I slowly came down from the mountaintop. "Was this your first time with a woman?" she asked draping her arm across my stomach. This must be a favorite position for her. She kissed my back. I didn't know if I was up for another round. Pam had a limitless reserve of energy, I didn't.

I nodded. "It was the first time anyone asked," I confessed, and as soon as I said it I hated that I had. I didn't want to seem like a whiner. Because I wasn't. I had dealt with those demons a long time ago.

She moved my shoulder so that I was staring up at her. She looked at me for a long time and I squirmed under her intense gaze. "Is he dead?" she asked me.

"No." I told her.

"What is his name?"

"Carlise Jackson." Saying his name triggered memories I didn't want to have. I was over that part of my life. Pam nodded and laid down on the bed like someone had cut her strings. Her eyes closed and she grew still. "Pam," I rolled over and shook her. "Pam," I shook her again. What the hell? I shook her again, as hard as I could.

She opened a blurry eye, "Daylight," she groaned and went back to sleep. I looked up toward the window and could have fallen out of the bed. We were in a room with solid walls. No windows, nothing. So how did she know it was daytime? I collapsed next to her and mentally kicked myself for freaking out. I closed my eyes and let my breathing regulate itself. When I had finally relaxed I looked at Pam.

She was as still as the grave. Not moving at all. None of the tossing and turning I do when I sleep. It was a bit uncanny and I edged out of the bed and stumbled to the bathroom. She had bit me again during sex, that time in the thigh. And I was feeling, well a little drained. It was weird and almost claustrophobic being in a room with no windows, but I just needed to get to the bathroom.

The bathroom was huge with a sunken tub against the far wall. I longed for a soak, but I knew if I got in the tub I wouldn't get out. So it was off to the shower I went. I yelped like a wet cat when the hot water hit me. I was sore everywhere. "Damnit," I seethed as I made myself stand under the water till the pain was just a dull throb. I was usually a shower person who loved the long steaming showers, but today I took the quickest shower I've ever taken. I was utterly spent by the time I had toweled off and fell back into the bed. Pam hadn't moved an inch.

I fell asleep almost as fast as I pulled the covers up around us.

Someone was shaking me awake.

My eyes flew open and focused.

Pam was standing over me, already dressed and holding a cup of coffee. I could have kissed her. "You talk in your sleep." she said as a good morning. I sat up and took the coffee. Her eyes zeroed in on my exposed breasts and her fangs ran out. I took a long drink of my coffee as Pam started nuzzling my neck and massaging my breasts. "Felipe has requested your presence and I have to be with Eric," she explained as she pulled back and rearranged the pastel blue blouse she was wearing. I got out of bed feeling a little better than when I went in. "You can take some B-12 for the blood I took. Or you can take some of mine." I looked at her as I slipped into a matching bra and panty set.

"What?" I pulled on a pencil skirt and routed around in my suitcase for a top.

Pam sat down in a chair in the corner of the room with her legs crossed watching me. "Surely you have heard of people who drink vampire blood." I found the blouse I wanted to wear.

"I've also heard what happens to those people," I pointed out to her. And none of it was pretty or remotely appealing to me. "I'll be fine. Don't worry." I gave her a smile and stepped into the bathroom to brush my teeth and fix my face.

This was the actual "business" meeting and I had to look professional. Last night was fun this was work. So this was going to be a different Ember. I had never wore a tone of makeup, even on stage. The men liked their black women more "natural." So I wasn't going to paint myself up like Snotty. Simple was the way I was going to go. I lined my eyes carefully. I had poked myself enough times to know I didn't like the sensation. I dusted my eyelids with some pale yellow powder that sparkled and made my dark brown eyes pop. It was my favorite eyeshadow. Yellow looked good with my skin tone. I was reaching for my lipgloss when Pam walked into the bathroom.

"You will heal faster with my blood," she shoved her wrist under my nose. "Drink." I turned around and looked at her. Was she crazy?

"Pam," I started to say and I stopped when I saw the look in her eyes. This wasn't a request. I had never been cowed by a look. However there is a first time for everything and today I was cowed by a look. I looked at her bleeding wrist and tried to swallow. It seemed like I wasn't getting out of this. I finally got my lungs to start working and I took a tiny breath and closed my eyes and just pressed my lips to her wrist and sucked. Her blood hit my tongue and I felt my knees go week. Pam pulled me to her chest and held me while I sucked her blood. Her breathing was ragged and she was rubbing up and down my back. This was turning her on.

I couldn't take anymore and I let got of her wrist, blood was on my mouth. I ducked under her arm to wipe the blood off my mouth. My heart was racing like I had taken some speed. I felt like my blood on was fire and it was burning its way out of my skin. I look at her through the mirror. She winked at me and walked out of the bathroom. I waited for my heart to slow down, my forehead had broken out in a sweat and I dabbed at the beads of sweat with a towel.

It took me a minute to calm down and get my hands to stop shaking, but I hated to admit I felt great. I felt like I could have climbed out of the window and flew off into the sunset or something. Not that I was going to try to do that. I just felt like I could. My face looked like it was shinning and my hair looked fuller. Thick and glossy black. I had to stare at myself for a minute. I couldn't believe the change from just a little bit of Pam's blood.

I checked to make sure the makeup that I had done was still fresh and it was still intact. I dabbed on some sheer lipgloss and I was ready to go. Pam was ready with my purse and my jacket. "Thanks." This was the most thoughtful anyone had ever been to me. Well except for the blood drinking thing, but I didn't say anything. My mouth had gotten me into more trouble than it had gotten me out of. And I had a feeling this was just one of those time. Pam kissed me on the cheek and I just smiled at her and we left my room.

I finally got a look at the hotel we were staying in and coming from someone who lived around luxury hotels and this hotel was one star above a motel. But it was trying to hard not to be the hole in the wall in the middle of nowhere it was. The entire scheme was done in black and white. Black rooms and black hallways with white accents. However it looked sad, the white wasn't that Clorox white and the black was tinted with grey, like the whole hotel had been washed one too many times. The elevator was the most interesting thing in the whole place. It was one of those old time elevators with the gilded grates as the level that sent it up and down.

Pam looked mildly interested as she watched me play with the levers. Hey, what can I say I'm still a big kid. We arrived in the lobby to find I was the last to arrive. Felipe didn't seem upset, but Snotty did. I was really getting tired of her.

"Ahh Pam so glad you could enjoy our hospitality." Felipe told her as she bowed to him. He accepted her bow and moved on to speak with Snotty.

Pam turned to me and took my hand in hers. She kissed my hand, gave me a wink and was out the door like a bullet. I blinked and had to smooth down my hair from the gust of wind that blew back. "Watch out for her," I turned and nearly yelped as Luis was right at my elbow.

"I know she's Eric's second in command." Letting him know I wasn't as stupid as he was making me out to be. I did know a thing or two. Give me some credit. I inched away from him. He gave me the absolute creeps. The rest of the vampires looked to be bodyguards and various other people in Felipe's court.

"Ember," Felipe pulled me aside and everyone else headed toward the doors. "Tonight is extremely important." He said. I knew it was important he didn't need to say that. They all just thought I was a stripper without the brain God gave me. "This is a meeting with all the sheriffs in all of my territories and my entire court. Listen to everything and everyone." I nodded. He didn't have to tell me that. That was what he had hired me for. He fixed me with a vampire stare and I stared back. He seemed to see what he was looking for and inclined his head once to me and lead me out to the waiting cars.

I rocked back on my heels. It was a cherry red Mabach. My mouth hung open. It was just sitting there. I had only seen those in the music videos and on the cover of DUB magazine. "Impressive sir," I told him as he allowed me to get into the car first. Luis was already sitting next to the window across me and his father. I wondered if Felipe and Luis had been real father and son or if they meant father and son in the vampire way. I mean I knew that vampires had to be made. The car door closed and we were off. I felt like I was sitting in a tub of melted butter the leather seats were so soft. I ran my hands over the seat and the armrests. It was fun, and the vampires were doing their shut down thing and not moving and speaking. So it was something to pass the time while we drove through Shreveport.

I pulled a piece of gum out of my clutch and popped it in my mouth and closed my eyes. I didn't really like gum but it gave me something to focus on and let my guard down. I could feel the hum of the two vampires. It was like a pulsating darkness that was wrapping around my brain, but it was silent. So they really did just shut down. It was eerie and I physically shivered. The driver must have been a vampire too because I could feel the same sort of darkness from the the front of the car.

I felt snatches of the brains from the people in passing in cars. I couldn't get a read on anything, the cars were moving too fast. But at least I was picking things up. This was going to be harder than I thought. I hadn't done this in a long time and this was not a time to mess up.

We drove for about 45 minutes so we were further from the actual city then I thought we were. Well I did sort of pass out on the drive to the hotel. I was barely 100 pounds and not even 4 foot 10 so any blood lose was significant. I needed to pay more attention.

We pulled into a upscale business park with a group of five or six buildings that all faced a small grove of trees in the middle of the parking lot. It was a nice little set up. Especially for this city. Our car as the lead car pulled right up to the door and the driver got out to open our door. Once again I sat and waited for Felipe and Luis to get out first. The walkway up to the door was lined with waiting and armed vampires. It was hard to believe vampires needed weapons, but I saw some of the vampires were strapped with silver and wooden stakes.

I had no idea Felipe needed security like that. Well its not like the Queen of England just wandered around without protect and Felipe was a royal. Though I still wasn't sure how one originally got the job. I was sure with vampires it involved blood and violence. I smiled and nodded at everyone as I walked inside. There were humans there of course and some of them were milling around as I walked into the building. They looked at me and dismissed me as just a pretty blood donor. It upset me, but that was the part Felipe wanted me to play so I just threw them a smile and walked into the small auditorium where the meeting was being held.

Felipe and the rest of his court were sitting at the head table on the stage. Felipe was in the middle with his son, Luis off to his right. Patrice, a vampire who was turned during the French revolution was next to Luis with Duncan an Scottish vamp at the end of the table. He still wore his family's tartan. I think the movie Braveheart was based off his family or something. To Felipe's left was Carmen, a relatively young vampire, but she was fiercely loyal to Felipe and completely insane and beyond blood thirsty. I didn't like being alone with her. Next to her was Fatima who was maybe the oldest vampire in the room. Luis told me she was turned almost 1,000 years before Christ, and that she was an actual descendent of Abraham. She didn't look a day over 12. And for a vampire she was a rather chatty person. Fatima smiled and inclined her head to me, it looked like I had a new bff or something. I smiled back and looked for a seat.

Sitting in the audience were all the underlings of Felipe from all his territories. In the front few rows was all the vamps from Nevada. The 4 sheriffs and all of their minions. The next row was the Arkansas vampires. 5 sheriffs and their subjects, and the Louisiana vampires came last. 5 sheriffs and then there vampires, Eric stood out like a beacon. Pam was sitting next to him and she turned around to give me a very fangy smile. I dipped my head, and tried not to blush.

As I was circling around looking for somewhere to sit, Snotty cornered me, "I have saved a seat for you up front." she pointed to a chair with a reserved placard sitting atop it. I asked how the hell I was supposed to do my job sitting in the front, and we glared at each other for a bit. She was trying to assert her authority, but I was the wrong person to try that with. She wasn't over me, I actually ranked higher than she did on the Felipe food chain. I ignored her request and I found a seat in the back with the rest of the human lovers, day people and secretaries of the other vampires. Sookie was perched on the end of her chair with a tight smile on her face. I sat a few seats down from her. She turned and gave me a more genuine smile and I returned it.

There wasn't a whole lot of chatter going on but when Felipe stood it died instantly. His gaze swept the whole room, "First allow me to welcome Arkansas and Louisiana to our little family." Some of those vampires didn't look as though they wanted to be welcomed. Especially Eric, the only original Louisiana vamp there. I figured Eric was a good of place to start as any. I zeroed in on him as I flipped through the book I had brought as cover. I couldn't let on to anyone what I was doing and I figured this was a good cover.

His thoughts were in another language! Damnit. I had to keep myself from actually growling in frustration.

But I felt another presence in his thoughts, not someone else reading them, but someone else connected to him. It was the weirdest thing I had ever encountered. It was like Eric was physically attached to someone else. It was a mental string that connected to him to someone else in the room. I followed the thread and it lead straight back to Sookie. They were connected, but I didn't know how. It was weird and I would have to report it back to Felipe. Though I wasn't sure how valuable the information would be because Sookie and Eric were married, however that happened.

I had to read Eric through Sookie since his thoughts were in another damn language. I never thought I would have to learn other languages to read the vamps thoughts. And most of those languages were probably dead. That was going to be a thorn in my side. However Sookie was busy trying to get a read on everyone else in the room. Curiously she was staying well away from me. On Eric's orders I found. I filed that away and skipped around the room. The other humans in room were all nitwits and just thinking about mundane things.

"I have a few appointments to make and some rearranging to do," My attention was pulled back to Felipe as he continued to speak. "Victoria." The vampire stood when her name was called. She was a striking redhead with bosoms for days. She had what some called childbearing hips. She was a nice package all in all. "Is now sheriff of Area 3 in Arkansas." vampire heads bobbed and humans clapped. Victoria seemed pleased with the appointment. She bowed deeply to Felipe and sat back down. Felipe went on and on with a few more "appointments" as he called them. Vampires rose and sat, humans clapped, but no one was thinking anything out of the ordinary. Well there was the account for Area 3 in Nevada that was skimming money off the top. I would have to tell Felipe about that. He was crazy as hell to be doing that, but he was cleaver about it because he had been doing it for years without getting caught. The Sheriff of Area 4 in Arkansas was running a vampire brothel near the University of Arkansas and she hadn't told Felipe about it and she wasn't turning in any of the money to him. Oh lord, heads were going to roll tonight.

Some of the humans were starting to get antsy and I had to admit I was feeling drained from all the concentrated listening I was doing, and I glanced over at Sookie and she looked worse than I did.

"And finally my last appointment." The humans perked up, we were nearing the end. "Victor," Felipe motioned to a vampire sitting in the front row. If a vampire cold look smug this one did. The vampire stood. "I am naming you my regent in Louisiana." there was a smarting of applause. Victor turned around to the room to accept the applause and his thoughts slammed into me to hard I gasped and doubled over. I looked up at him through a haze of tears. He was going to kill Felipe.


End file.
